Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The Benue State House of Assembly has called on the Minister of Defense, Mansur Dan Ali, to immediately resign from his position.

The offense of the minister was allegedly blaming the killing of over 73 indigenes of the state by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on the anti-open grazing law enacted by the Assembly.

The House, while taking the decision after a debate on a Motion of Urgent Public Importance moved by the Majority Leader, Barr. Benjamin Adanyi, on Wednesday, noted that the Minister’s unfortunate comments clearly showed that the he is completely unaware of the security issues in the sensitive ministry he is overseeing and agreed that by such utterances, he is a conspirator and should be treated as such.

Ruling on the motion, Speaker of the Assembly, Terkimbi Ikyange, attributed the decision of the Assembly to the ‘malicious, vexatious and unfortunate comments by the Minister’, adding that his comments were an indication that the Minister lacks the capacity to be in that position.

The Assembly also condemned, in its entirety, what it described as “reckless” utterances by the Minister despite the fact that the killings predate the Open Grazing Prohibition Law validly enacted by the Benue State Government.

The Assembly, however, commended Governor Samuel Ortom for his firm stance on the implementation of the law banning open grazing in the state and assured of their unflinching support in the struggle to ensure strict compliance to the law.

Earlier in a motion, the Majority Leader, Barr. Benjamin Adanyi, faulted the defense minister for blaming the killing of Benue people on the enactment and implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing law, saying his comments were not befitting of a public officer occupying such a strategic position in the Security architecture of the Country.

In their various remarks, Members including Mr. Ianna Jato, Mrs. Ngunan Addingi, Mr. Bem Mngutyo, Barr. Adam Okloho among others described as most unfortunate and insisted that the Minister should apologise to Benue people over his comments.